Anzac Day. My husband carrying my younger son in an Anzac Day march a few years ago.
As Anzac Day approaches I’m making my annual plans for how we will participate as a family. We are the odd ones out among our social circle – it isn’t common to attend Anzac Day commemorations at all, let alone take young kids to them. Since becoming parents though this is exactly what we have done, taken our little ones to Anzac Day ceremonies that commemorate the lives lost and sacrifice of Aussie and New Zealand defence force members, past and present.
I’d be lying if I said taking them to Anzac Day ceremonies is fun, let alone easy. The hymns, silences and solemnity of Anzac Day ceremonies aren’t a great match for my wild little boys. Sometimes my husband, and ex-RAAF doctor marches on Anzac Day. If he does he takes one of the boys along in the march and ends up carrying them for most of it. He tells me it is hot marching in a suit with 20kg of squirming child on his shoulders.
I don’t take my kids along to Anzac Day ceremonies because of the dreadful loss of life on a Turkish beach one hundred years ago. This historical tragedy feels like the distant past to me and although I am moved by the thought of the loss, there is a personal disconnect.
I don’t take my kids to Anzac Day ceremonies because of a fondness for war or even the military. My kids aren’t allowed gun toys and I really, really hope they don’t chose to be soldiers when they are older.
I don’t take my kids to Anzac Day ceremonies because of my politics, which is leftward leaning.
I don’t take my kids to Anzac Day ceremonies because I am strongly patriotic. I’m grateful for the many blessings that being Australian involves, and I love my country, but as a consequence of some national policies I am not always proud to be Australian.
I don’t take my kids to Anzac Day because my parents or grandparents served with the armed forces – none of them did.
The reason I take my kids to Anzac Day is because I used to be a military wife and I know how tough the military families do it. My own husband was frequently deployed overseas during his time of service with the RAAF. I would get a phone call at work “They’ve told me I’ve got to go overseas today, it will be for up to six months and I can’t tell you where I am going.” I would race to say a teary goodbye, and then watch the news hoping to figure out where my husband had been sent, hoping it wasn’t too dangerous.
There are not many jobs that involve a real risk to life, but serving in the military is one of them. I knew my own limitations and my husband left the military before we had children. Hundreds of Aussie partners, are perhaps more resilient than I, raising their children with a spouse in danger, often overseas and posted away from families and supports. Life for the spouse, and children of the serving member is incredibly difficult. They pay a hefty price, sometimes the ultimate one. I take my kids to Anzac Day ceremonies because I am grateful my husband came home alive from his overseas deployments, and I am incredibly sad for all those Aussies that didn’t and don’t. I am sad for their families, for their children if they have them. I want my own kids to appreciate their own father’s service and the sacrifice the families of service men and women make. I want them to honour them by participating, even if they would rather be somewhere else.
For those of you that are similarly inclined to have your family honour the sacrifice of Australia’s service men and women, and their families there are a few options. Anzac Day dawn services will be held next Saturday all around the country. From experience we know that the dawn services are beyond our own kids and we take them to later ceremonies. For adults watching an Anzac Day march is inevitably moving. For kids the spectacle is engaging. Visiting one of the state, or national War Memorials, perhaps on an alternate day is also a good option. We recently visited the National War Memorial that has an exhibition especially for children. Last year we took a drive up to Mount Macedon in Victoria to pay our respects at the Memorial Cross. If you think it is all going to be too tricky – do turn on the television and watch part of the march with your kids, and try and explain a little about what Anzac Day is and why it is important.
If you have, or are planning to observe Anzac Day with your kids I’d love for you to share your experiences here as a comment.
The National War Memorial in Canberra
This post is linked up to Wednesday Wanderlust at Brown Paper Packages blog.
Anzac Day has always been important in my family. We have members who are serving and those who served in the past. And as a young girl, I was deeply affected by the letters, poetry and stories of soldiers – and those who remained at home – of WW1, WW2 and later other military activity. I don’t know why, but it always hit me hard. As a journalist I have interviewed so many veterans over the years. In real life, I have known survivors of the holocaust. I have visited many museums around the world, and I just think it’s so important to remember not only what has been sacrificed on our behalf in the past, but what is still going on around the world. We have always taken part in Anzac Day. We try to go to where a family member is marching. So glad to see you are passing all this on to your children. I think as time goes on, it’s more important than ever that we remember. Visiting from Wanderlust Wednesday.
We have been reflecting on the holocaust recently as my own kid’s great-grandparents were Holocaust survivors. The flow on effects from that event are profound even today here in Australia so I hate to think what future impacts are being created by some of the human devastation occurring around the globe right now. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave such a thoughtful comment.
I think that is important that our children know about ANZAC Day and I am dishing out age appropriate information to my girls as they grow up. I thought about going to Elephant Rock tomorrow but I’m not sure i am up for battly the 30,000 people crowd that turns up.
Thanks for joining in #wednesdaywanderlust this week
As yet we haven’t taken our son to the dawn service but in a couple of years when he has learnt the history of the battle at school then I think it will be worthwhile .
Hi Sally. It can be trick with young ones at the dawn service – I agree. I don’t actually remember learning anything about WWI OR WWII in my entire schooling though! Perhaps it is different these days.
We too attend ANZAC services, not because we have family in the services or are a military family, but to teach our children to be grateful for the country we live in and the freedom we have. A lesson has to be leant from the wars of the past, not to glorify war but to realise the history of the past – remembrance and respect.
It’s a pity really that we need to teach our kids these messages isn’t it? The reality we live in though.